Suction cleaner with converter connection



D. G. SMELLIE SUCTION CLEANER WITH CONVERTER CONNECTION 10, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3b INVENTOR. Donald 6? Smellz'e ATTORNEY.

May 11, 1954 D. G. SMELLIE 2,677,847

SUCTION CLEANER WITH CONVERTER CONNECTION Filed Nov. 10, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOH. D072 aid Gfinzellzle ATTORNEY.

Patented May 11, 1954 SUCTION CLEANER WITH CONVERTER CONNECTION Donald G. Smellie, Canton,

Hoover Company, poration of Ohio Ohio, assignor to The North Canton, Ohio, a cor- Application November 10, 1949, Serial No. 126,539

Claims.

This invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to a new and improved mechanism for converting a cleaner from on-the-iloor operation to dusting tool cleaning.

An object of the invention is to provide a sue-- tion cleaner having an improved mechanism for converting to off-the-floor or dusting tool cleaning. A further object is to provide a mechanism for sealing the converter tool to the source of suction. Another object is to provide a converter tool sealing mechanism which does not obstruct the suction air passageway during on-the-floor cleaning. Another object is to provide a converter tool closing mechanism which is effective in one position of the cleaner propelling handle. A further object is to provide an arrangement of parts whereby the converter tool, when con nected, prevents movement of the cleaner propelling handle. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away showing the cleaner arranged for on-thefiOOi cleaning;

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the converter attached to the cleaner for dusting tool cleaning; and

Figure 3 is a bottom view partly broken away of Figure 1.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises a suction cleaner provided with a nozzle I it from one end of which extends a bracket H, and from the opposite end extends a conduit l2 providing an air passageway it, the bracket H and conduit i2 each terminating in a trunnion I l on which is rotatably mounted a motor-fan housing i5 having a fan chamber 85 and an unshown motor. The shaft ll of the unshown motor supports a suction creating fan it and extends through the fan chamber eye iii into the passageway it where it is provided. with pulley 26. A belt 2! extends from the pulley it through the passageway it to a surface agitating member 22 rotatably mounted in the nozzle It). An opening 25 in the conduit !2 is normally closed by a removable cover 2% to provide access to the pulley 2i Extending from the fan chamber !6 is a discharge outlet 2? to which the lower end of a bag 23, only partly shown, is attached and the latter is supported at its upper end by a handle 29 rigidly mounted in the motorfan housing i5 for movement therewith. The nozzle [0 has a mouth 30 defined by a perimeter lip 3i, and the agitator projects below the lip ii for engagement with the surface being cleaned recess 48 receives the shaft portion when the cleaner is employed for on the-fioor operation.

The cleaner is supported on front wheels 35-35 and rear wheels 336, the latter being mounted on brackets 3l-3'i extending from the cleaner body. The front wheels 35 are rotatably mounted on offset ends tit-38 of a shaft 39 having intermediate olfset portions 4ii4il rotatably attached to the cleaner body by brackets 4i ll, and the mid-portion 42 of the shaft 39 is offset towards the motor-fan housing 15. A pair of torsion springs 43 are arranged about the shaft offsets ii! to rotate the shaft 39 clockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, against a nozzle adjusting sector it mounted on the housing i5.

The sector 45 is provided with a stop 46 at one end, a uniform arcuate portion 47 and a recess it. When the shaft portion 42 engages the stop it the handle 29 is supported in its lowest operating position shown in Figure 1, and when the 42 the handle is supported in storage or dusting tool cleaning position shown in Figure 2. The nozzle lip 31 is maintained in proper adjustment with respect to the surface 49 when the shaft portion 32 engages the uniform arcuate section 4?, and is raised to off-the-fioor cleaning position when the shaft portion 42 is disposed in the recess 38 as shown in Figure 2.

The rear end of the conduit i2 is provided with an opening 50 which is closed by a barrier 5i rotatably supported on a pin 52 mounted in the upper and lower walls 53 and 54 respectively of the conduit l2, and a torsion spring 55 urges the barrier 51 to its closed position. The barrier 55 has an arcuate portion 5! conforming to the rear periphery of the fan eye l9, and when in closed position forms a continuation of the fan eye It into the air passageway l3 rearwardly of the motor shaft H. The arrangement of the arcuate barrier 5'! as a continuation of the fan eye it prevents accumulation of dirt in the passageway 13 rearwardly of the motor shaft i? when the cleaner is employed for on-the-floor operation. A portion 59 of the lower wall 5% of the passageway 53 is bowed downwardly from the fan eye it to direct the dirt-laden air from the nozzle mouth 39 to enter the fan eye l 9 from the bowed portion 59. The upper wall 53 of the passageway it is provided with an arcuate wall 60 projecting into the air passageway I3 adjacent the front and upper periphery of the fan eye IS.

A converter 62 is insertable through the opening 50 into the air passageway i3 and comprises a cylindrical outer end 63 and a rectangular shaped portion provided with side walls 64 and 55 and end walls 66-B6, the latter terminating in an arcuate end wall '61. The inner side wall 64 is formed with an opening 68 which conforms to the fan eye is, and the outer side wall 65 and the arcuate end wall 61 are provided with a slot 69 to arrange the inner end of the converter about the motor shaft I! between the fan eye i9 and the belt The top and bottom walls 53 and 54 of the conduit l2 extend rearwardly of the barrier 5i as indicated at ML-I and function to guide the converter 62 into the air passageway It as shown in Figure 2.

Cooperating with the converter 62 is a converter closing member 15 formed on the housing i and has a portion 16 extending through the fan eye 19 into the air passageway l3 and is provided with an angular portion Tl having an arcuate end it to partially receive the motor shaft H. The converter closing member rotates with the handle 29 and the housing l5 and is movable beneath the arcuate wall 8!] when the handle 29 is oscillated through its normal operating range, whereby the arcuate wall 6s prevents the converter closing member '15 from obstructing the flow of the dirt-laden air passing from the nozzle mouth til to the fan eye l9 during on-thefloor cleaning. When the handle 29 is in its storage or dusting tool cleaning position the converter closing member '55 is arranged forwardly of the motor shaft H, as shown in Figure 2, and upon inserting the converter 62 the member 15 enters the converter slot 69 to seal the nozzle mouth 3D from the fan chamber and confine the flow of air through the converter to the fan eye !9.

When the cleaner is employed for on-the-floor operation, the converter 52 is dlisconnected, and the agitator 22 is rotated to dislodge dirt from the floor covering 59. The resulting dirt-laden air passes through the nozzle mouth 3%, air passageway is and fan eye 19 into the fan chamber is from which it is discharged into the filter bag 23. During on-the-fioor cleaning operation, the handle 22 is oscillated through its normal operating range and also moves the converter closing member l5 therewith, however, the member l5 moves within the area defined by the areuate wall Gil whereby the latter prevents the member :5 from obstructing the flow of dirtladen air to the fan chamber 16. The recessed portion 59 in the air passageway i3 is in the path of the dirt-laden air stream and enlarges the air passageway adjacent the fan eye 58 to direct the dirt into the fan chamber [6.

During on the-fioor cleaning the barrier 5| is in its closed position and the arcuate portion 5i is arranged adjacent the rear periphery of the eye ill to prevent accumulation of dirt in the air passageway rearwardly of the fan eye l9. The converter closing memer 15 during on-thefloor cleaning is disposed at an angle to the air passageway It, as shown for example in Figure l, and prevents inserting the converter 82 into register with the fan eye Hi.

In order to alter the cleaner to dusting tool operation the handle 29 is moved to its storage position shown in Figure 2. Movement of the handle to this position places the converter closing member s5 longitudinally of the air passageway and forwardly of the motor shaft I'I between the belt 2% and the fan eye IS. The converter 52 is then inserted between the guides 'lfllii and the arcuate end wall Bl moves the barrier 5| about the pin 52 inwardly of the air passageway 63. Continued movement of the converter 62 causes the slot 69 to receive the converter closing member l5, and the opening 68 in the converter wall 64 is placed in register with the fan eye 99. When the converter 62 is completely inserted the member 15 closes the slot 69 in the converter and cooperates with the arcuate end wall '61 and the outer side wall 65 to seal the nozzle mouth 3!! from the fan eye It, and confines the fiow of air in the converter 62 to the fan eye !9. Suitable dusting tools can be connected by means of a hose to the circular end 63 of the converter for cleaning surfaces solely by suction. The converter 52 being inserted at the rear of and longitudinally of the air passageway :3 permits movement of the cleaner on its wheels 35 and 36 by exerting a force on the dusting tool hose. Movement of the handle 29 from its off-the-floor cleaning position shown in Figure 2 is prevented while the converter is inserted due to the converter closing member 15 being disposed in the converter slot 69.

While I have shown and described but a single modification of my invention, it is to be understood that this modification is to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I vo not wish to be limited to the particular structures shown and described, but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a body having a nozzle, suction creating means, an air passageway connecting said nozzle and suction-creating means, and a port for inserting a converter into said air passageway, a cleaner propelling handle mounted on said body for movement to different positions, a converter insertable through said port into said passageway and shaped to partly close the latter to said nozzle, completing means in said air passageway connected with said handle for movement therewith and shaped for interfitting engagement with said converter to completely close said passageway to said nozzle when said handle is in one of its positions and confine air fiow through said converter to said suction creating means.

2. The structure described in claim 1 and means formed in said air passageway to receive said completing means to prevent the latter from obstructing the path taken by the air stream in said air passageway when said handle is in another position.

3. In a suction cleaner, a body having a nozzle, suction creating means, an air passageway connecting said nozzle and suction-creating means, and a port for inserting a converter into said air passageway, a surface agitator movably mounted in said nozzle, drive means in said passageway for moving said agitator, a cleaner propelling handle mounted on said body for movement to different positions, a converter insertable through said port and having an opening to receive said drive means, completing means in said air passageway connected with said handle for movement therewith and shaped to close said converter opening about said drive means when said handle is in one of its positions and confine air flow through said converter to said suction creating means.

4. The structure described in claim 3 characterized in that engagement of said completing means with the wall defining said converter opening prevents movement of said handle from its said one position while said converter is in serted in said air passageway.

5. In a suction cleaner, a body having a noz- Zle, suction creating means, an air passageway connecting said nozzle and suction-creating means, and a port for inserting a converter into said air passageway, a cleaner propelling handle mounted on said body for movement to difierent positions, a converter insertable through said port into said air passageway and shaped to partly close the latter to said nozzle, completing means in said air passageway connected with said handle for movement therewith and shaped for interfitting engagement with said converter to completely close said passageway to said nozzle when said handle is in one of its positions and confine air flow through said converter to said 15 10 Number 5 from its said one position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,539,843 Hume June 2, 1925 2,126,396 Kitto Aug. 9, 1938 2,148,656 Smellie Feb. 28, 1939 2,172,960 Kilpatrick Sept. 12, 1939 2,548,632 Stent Apr. 10, 1951 

